“What did you just say?” I asked, staring at Father in disbelief.

Father grinned at me.

“You heard me,” he said. “If you want Lina’s hand in marriage, then you must figure out who House Galdur supports or is planning to support.”

The two of us sat in his study within the House Guld townhouse. It was an airy and open space, with cream colored walls and a light hardwood flooring. In addition to a large wooden desk, there were also several couches within the study, which formed a sitting area. Sunlight shone through the large windows, which took up most of the wall space. They gave a great view of the townhouse’s many gardens. There were also several planted pots within the study itself, adding a splash of green to the room. A few landscape paintings, all of which depicted the Riverlands, occupied the remaining wall space.

When I arrived at the House Guld townhouse, I planned on spending some time with Lina, Mother, and Mika before dealing with Father and Sieg. However, the moment I stepped through the front entrance, Father whisked me away to his study before I even had a chance to say hello to the others. As soon as we sat down, he gave me the task he wanted me to accomplish in order to earn his approval.

“Why?” I asked. “Lina said that we already had your blessing to marry one another.”

“Yes, but you’re the one who said you want to formally ask for Lina’s hand in marriage,” Father responded. “As her father, and your prospective father-in-law, I have to give you trouble somehow.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I asked.

Father grinned and didn’t answer the question.

“Are you not up to the task?” He asked instead. “Is that it? If so, I can always find something easier for you to do.”

I narrowed my eyes even further.

“I’m going to tell Mother that you’re being mean to me.” I said.

Father rolled his eyes.

“Are you a child that needs to hide behind his mother’s skirts?” He asked.

I just glared at him and didn’t respond. After a few seconds, Father sighed.

“There is a reason why I asked you to do this.” He said, his expression turning serious. “We don’t know the real reason why the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap me. However, I believe House Galdur is involved somehow. If you don’t know, the Tower of Magic and House Galdur are always in complete opposition to one another. If one makes a move, the other moves to oppose them. So, if we want to figure out the reasons behind the Tower of Magic’s actions, finding out what House Galdur is up to is the best course of action. Considering the circumstances, there is a good chance that it involves the imperial succession.”

I nodded. That made sense.

“Consider this a favor to your future father-in-law.” Father continued. “Not only that, but knowing who House Galdur supports can benefit House Kaltbrand as well.”

I sighed. He made several good points. Besides, I already planned on finding out who House Galdur supported or planned to support. I was only protesting for form’s sake.

“Very well,” I said. “I accept.” I frowned. “However, I have to ask. Would you have withdrawn your approval if I had declined?”

Father scoffed.

“Of course not.” He said. “Both Lina and your mother would never let me hear the end of it.” He pouted. “However, I would have been disappointed.”

I gave him a disgusted look. A grown man pouting looked disturbing rather than cute.

“Never do that again.” I said.

Father let out a forlorn sigh.

“Look at you,” he said, “Three years in the Barrens and you’ve lost all respect for me. I remember when you used to look up to me. What happened to that wide-eyed, innocent boy?”

I snorted.

“I still respect you.” I said. “However, that doesn’t mean I’m willing to put up with your nonsense.”

Father chuckled at that.

“I see,” he said in a wistful tone, “You’ve grown up. I’m a little sad that I wasn’t there to see it happen.” He shook his head. “However, you’re here now and that’s all that matters.”

“Since you want me to look into House Galdur,” I said, moving the conversation along before it could grow awkward, “I assume you’re willing to give me whatever information the Pink Orchid Trading Company managed to collect on House Galdur.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Unless you plan on giving me no support for this task.”

Father grinned, before he reached into his desk and pulled out a leather case. He handed the leather case to me. I took it and opened it. Inside were several documents. I pulled one out and gave it a brief glance. It contained the information I needed regarding House Galdur. Perfect.

“You were more prepared than I expected.” I muttered.

“Don’t underestimate your dad.” Father said.

I rolled my eyes.

“Father.” I corrected.

He pouted again. I resisted the urge to shudder. That would just encourage him further. Instead, I ignored him and continued skimming the documents.

“This is what our people managed to collect on House Galdur.” Father said, nodding to the leather case. “Though, you may want to have your own people look into them, just in case ours missed something.” He shrugged. “Otherwise, the best way to learn more about House Galdur is to mingle with high society. Duchess Galdur is an active member.”

I nodded. That was something I already knew and took into account. A mountain of letters arrived at Kaltbrand Manor yesterday and today. All of them were invitations to various social events. I planned on sifting through them and accepting the ones that Duchess Galdur was most likely to attend.

“I see.” I muttered, still skimming the documents. “In that case, my best bet is to attend the ball hosted by House Wirt next week.”

House Wirt was a family of central nobles, meaning they spent most of their time within Haven. This wasn’t as much of a burden for them as it would be for other families, since they were direct vassals of House Reichwald and owned land within the Crownlands. As such, they enjoyed far more influence than most other families of the same status.

Countess Wirt was a key figure in Haven’s high society and many nobles considered it a mark of honor to attend an event hosted by her. Even Mother, an avid participant in high society herself, treated Countess Wirt with respect. There was a good chance that Duchess Galdur would attend House Wirt’s ball.

“That’s a good idea.” Father said, before frowning. “However, do you have anything suitable for the occasion? You can’t just wear any old thing. This is your debut into high society.”

I looked away from the document and frowned at him. He was right. While I participated in the Barrens’ high society, Haven’s high society was a different beast altogether. For one, Dad wasn’t the overlord of these lands. The Emperor was. I doubted that anyone would snub and disrespect me, since I was a Kaltbrand. However, I couldn’t act with impunity here. The nobles here would judge everything about me, from my appearance to the way I acted. A good first impression would make things easier for me in the future.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“You’re right.” I said. “I brought several outfits with me from the Barrens, so at least I have something.” I shrugged. “If they’re not enough, I can always just buy a ready-made outfit and spruce it up with accessories.”

“No.” Father said in a firm voice.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

“You’re my son.” He said. “I will not let you wear a ready-made outfit for your debut into high society. You deserve better than that.”

I gave him a mystified look.

“Am I your son or your prospective son-in-law?” I asked.

“Whatever is more convenient for me at the moment.” Father said.

I let out an exasperated sigh.

“You are shameless.” I said.

Father smiled at me.

“Of course.” He said. “To get back to the topic at hand, if you need an outfit for the House Wirt ball, I know of several tailors who can make it for you. Despite the short deadline, I’m sure they would be honored to have the heir to House Kaltbrand wear something they created. It would also be faster to visit their shops instead of summoning them here, since you only have a week.”

“Thank you.” I said, returning his smile. “I would much appreciate it.”

Father’s smile took on an edge. A sense of foreboding filled me.

“In fact, why don’t you bring Sieg along?” he asked.

My smile turned stiff. Sieg had exacting standards when it came to clothing. Due to his upbringing, he had a good eye for these sorts of things and refused to accept anything that didn’t meet those standards. Also, like the rest of House Guld, shopping with Sieg was a tiring ordeal. If I brought him along, it would take all day to find a tailor that satisfied him.

“I can handle it by myself.” I said, hoping to avoid trouble.

Father’s smile widened.

“I insist.” He said. “Sieg missed you just as much as the rest of us, and this is the perfect opportunity for the two of you to make up for lost time.”

I studied Father’s expression and realized that this was Sieg’s portion of the test set forth by the two of them.

“You’re evil.” I said.

“Why, thank you, Wulfram.” Father said. “You say the sweetest things.” He nodded to the door to his study. “You should hurry if you want to find a suitable tailor by today. Otherwise, you may have to try again tomorrow.”

This time I did shudder. Spend two days looking for a tailor that met Sieg’s standards? That sounded like torture.

“You’re lucky that you’re family,” I muttered as I stood up, “Otherwise I wouldn’t put up with this behavior from you two.”

Father shrugged.

“There should be some difficulty when it comes to love.” He said. “You won’t appreciate it as much if it’s too easy. In the end, I’m doing you a favor.”

I rolled my eyes as I left Father’s study.

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Several hours later, I sat in the House Kaltbrand carriage, drained of all energy. Sieg sat across from me. Unlike me, he looked refreshed and invigorated. I hated him for it.

Sieg ambushed me just as I left Father’s study and dragged me along to find a suitable tailor in Haven’s Inner City. Lina caught wind of this and tried to come along, but Sieg claimed that he wanted to spend time alone with his long lost younger brother. Would she really deny him that? In the end, Lina relented.

What followed was an ordeal that was as exhausting and tiresome as I feared. Sieg dragged me along to every tailor shop within Haven’s Inner City. We spent at least an hour at each one. If Sieg found any flaws in their work, no matter how minute, we left. I protested each time, but my protests fell on deaf ears.

I could have put a stop to it all by refusing to play along. After all, as the heir to House Kaltbrand, I outranked Sieg. Also, as an Aura Master, I was much stronger than him. However, I didn’t for two reasons. One, I still felt guilty for running away and putting my adopted family through an ordeal. Two, despite everything, I enjoyed spending time with Sieg. He was my eldest brother, and I loved him.

Even so, I was nearing my limit. It was late afternoon, and the two of us had just left another tailor shop. I leaned against the side of the carriage and closed my eyes.

“What was wrong with the last tailor?” I asked. “His clothing was fine.”

“Fine isn’t good enough.” Sieg retorted. “As the heir to House Kaltbrand and a future grand duke, you must hold yourself to a higher standard. Everyone else will. The moment you expose any sort of weakness, they will pounce on you. It’s better to prevent that from happening in the first place.”

I opened my eyes and looked at him.

“How do you do it?” I asked.

Sieg raised an eyebrow at me.

“How do you bear the burden of being the heir to such a prestigious family and not go crazy?” I clarified. “It’s… difficult, to say the least, and I’ve only lived like this for a few months at most. You’ve dealt with it your entire life.”

Sieg’s eyes lit up with understanding, before he frowned in thought.

“I’m not sure if I can give you a satisfactory answer, Wulfram.” He said. “For me, this is normal. I don’t know of any other way to live.” He paused. “However, you’re right. It is difficult at times. And lonely. Everyone is either working to undermine me, looking to take advantage of me for their own benefit, or both. There are a few exceptions, of course, but most people fall into one of those categories.”

I studied him for several moments.

“Do you ever wish that you could just let it all go and choose a different path?”

“Sometimes.” Sieg admitted with a wry smile on his face. “However, as difficult as my life is, I still prefer it over the alternatives.” He chuckled. “Being the heir to House Guld comes with many benefits and privileges after all.”

True. I felt the same way. Being the heir to House Kaltbrand wasn’t easy, but I thought it was worth it, despite the difficulties that came with the position.

“So, how do you bear the burden?”

“I remember to take time for myself.” Sieg answered. “I am the heir to House Guld, but I am also a person in my own right. As long as I keep that in mind and act accordingly, I’ll be alright.” He smiled. “It helps that I have several people to help me bear the burden, including Amalina. I am lucky to have someone like her by my side as my wife.”

I pushed myself away from the side of the carriage and sat upright.

“I was under the impression that you two didn’t love each other.” I said.

Yesterday, as I reunited with my adopted family after three years, I noticed that Sieg and Lady Amalina treated each other with politeness and civility but little warmth.

“And?” Sieg asked. “Amalina and I are fond of each other. More importantly, we treat each other with respect.” His expression darkened. “I know of several married couples who profess to love one another, yet are more than willing to disrespect and degrade each other.” He shook his head. “I would rather go without such toxic and destructive love.”

“Not every marriage is like that,” I protested. “Your parents both love and respect each other, and it’s the same for Lina and I.”

Sieg smiled.

“I know,” he said, “Which is why I’m only forcing you to spend the entirety of today shopping with me. If I opposed your relationship with Lina, I would have done everything in my power to keep you two apart. What I’m doing now is mild in comparison.”

I paused at that. He made a fair point.

“Are you happy then, with how things are?” I asked. “That’s what matters the most to me.”

Sieg’s smile deepened.

“Yes, Wulfram,” he said, “I am. You don’t have to worry about me, little brother. Just focus on your own upcoming engagement.”

I nodded, before letting out a sigh.

“Can this be the last stop?” I asked, giving him a tired smile. “I don’t know how you and the others do it. Shopping is exhausting. I’m at my limit here.”

Sieg chuckled.

“Don’t you know?” he asked. “The thrill of spending money fills a Guld with energy.” He smirked. “However, I shall be merciful. Yes, this next shop shall be our last one.”

I gave him a grateful smile. And true to his word, that was indeed our last stop for the day. After the tailor took my measurements, he promised to have my outfit ready in time for the House Wirt ball next week. It would cost me a small fortune, but it would be ready.

With that, all I had to do was attend the ball itself.

----------------------------------------

The week leading up to the House Wirt ball was a busy one for me. In addition to my usual duties as heir to House Kaltbrand, I also had to redecorate Kaltbrand Manor and familiarize myself with the situation here in Haven. While I learned a lot from the reports given to me by the Blue Shadows, I needed to know more. Thankfully, I had Lina to help me with both tasks.

The day after I went searching for a tailor with Sieg, I brought Lina to Kaltbrand Manor to get her opinion on the redecoration. While the final decisions were mine, Lina had a better eye for this sort of thing than me. I wanted to preserve the spirit of Kaltbrand Manor while also bringing it back up to par. Lina proved invaluable in this regard and she provided me with several useful insights.

The servants were a bit nervous around Lina at first, but she soon won them over. It helped that she brought Rosalind along, which Maria was happy about. We gave the two of them time to catch up with one another while Lina and I inspected Kaltbrand Manor. When the other servants saw this, their opinions of Lina rose. Baron Kurz and his wife, Baroness Kurz, were happy to have a proper lady in the manor again, even though she wasn’t the Grand Duchess.

Elmer disappeared before Lina arrived, which I expected. For some reason, he wanted to hide the fact that he was with me instead of on a sabbatical in the Mistwood to the south. I found it suspicious, but I let him be for now.

Lina also provided reports of everything going on in Haven, courtesy of the Pink Orchid Trading Company. Thanks to the Blue Shadows, I already knew most of the information these reports contained. However, the report that Lina provided gave me new insights, which I appreciated. I also learned a few interesting bits of news that I hadn’t known before. I didn’t know if they would ever come in handy, but it was better to be prepared than not.

I spent what little free time remained with my adoptive family. After spending three years away from them, now I couldn’t stay away. None of them complained. After all, they had missed me just as much as I missed them. I even spent a bit of time with Lady Amalina, my sister-in-law. While I doubted that the two of us would ever be close, I felt like that we could at least be amiable with one another.

The days passed like that, one after another, until the day of the House Wirt ball arrived.